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 keep me from breaking...Moderators: Moderators Jump to page : 1 2 Now viewing page 2 [25 messages per page] | View previous thread :: View next thread |
| Yoga -> Ashtanga Yoga | Message format |
Nick |
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    Location: London, England | |||
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| iandicker |
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| TampaEric |
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| Nick |
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Location: London, England | Hi ian, Cheers!  Well, I don't think there is one correct way. For instance, most people would say it is easier to step forwards than to jump or lift forwards-but you will see these same people oscillate the pelvis as they step-the objective should be to apply a bandha which prevents the pelvis from oscillating. If you can't do this when you are stepping, there's no way you are going to do it when trying to take both feet off the ground at the same time-so you would be condemned to jump without ever realizing the true worth of bandha in helping you to learn to lift. You can progress from the initial lift to getting into a handstand, then a backward somersault-the sky's the limit-I'm not there yet, but am playing with it in my own practice-can do it by bending the knees on the way to uttanasana, but am working to do it with straight legs-a true lift. This will probably take a few years or decades, but that's ok. We shouldn't assume that because it's impossible now, that it will always be that way. Will try to think of some more helpful answers tomorrow-I've been sanding and varnishing my floors for the last week, and am a bit brain-dead They do look beautiful though nick | ||
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| Nick |
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Location: London, England | Hi Ian, I've been considering how to reply for a couple of days I think part of the problem in learning to lift forwards is that people often push themselves backwards over their feet-initially, this may seem like a good idea-less weight-bearing on the arms, heels closer to the floor, a hollowed abdoemen which replaces a useful bandha with a sub-optimal one, etc. I could take this train of reasoning back through the sun salute, so really it all starts with tadasana. But for simplicity, let's just stop at downdog. If we draw an analogy with a sprinter on the blocks, they spend the final few seconds positioning their bodies for maximum forward and upward drive-whereas when people try to push themselves back in downdog, they are doing the opposite-why? There's no good reason, apart from that the push back then allows them to use momentum to spring forwards. They are then stuck in a vicious circle, where they get better and better at performing a movement which has a higher and higher impact on vulnerable joints as the student literally becomes more skilful at performing movements and postures which are 'distinctly non-therapeutic.' As an example, lets look at the shoulder complex-the scapulae and clavicles (shoulder blade and breast bone). The muscles in the shoulder that are used to push us back are the same muscles that are seen in individuals with tight necks and rounded shoulders-the levator scapulae (as the name implies, it lifts the scapula), the upper trapezius would probably be the main culprits. Ideally, when these muscles are at their optimal resting tone, they allow the scapulae to be positioned with its top edge horizontal-when tight, the scapula rotates and elevates, so that the shoulder joint is lifted towards the side of the head. There isn't an individual in the world who would benefit from imposing these conditions upon their shoulder, cervical and thoracic spine-all three areas are directly affected by this posture. So, what I teach is related to my other post-in downdog, the emphasis should not be on throwing, but on pulling on the hands, with the elbows being straightened by the action-incidentally, this also is successful in helping students stop bending their elbows in downdog. We can then see that a train of muscular action is designed in downdog-one line is from the pectorals on the chest (Icould extend this line down to the fingertips). If you look at the origin and insertion of the following muscles-pecs, oblique abdominals, adductor muscles, you will see that the muscle fibres are in a direction that means that the tension developed in one muscle affects the other muscles on the track-so that the entire track is strengthened by the contribution of its constituent parts. If our intention and alignment is wrong, then the contribution that each can make is less-again, you are forced to forever jump. So the pecs are lifting the arms above the head, and also pulling the shoulders down-the latissimus dorsi muscle is also active-these powerful muscles are designed to pull us through the trees by our hands-in another few million years they will probable be much smaller. The lats insert into the arm from their origin on the low spine and pelvic brim-the muscle fibres are arranged so that the gluteus maximus on the opposite side of the body is made stronger by tension in the lats-you can see this mechanism take place when you see a runner-the arm is pulled back by the lat, which results in a stronger contraction of the opposite gluteal to pull the body over the leading foot. So when you try to pull yourself into downdog, it means that you are cotnracting the glutes-the glute is an extensor of the hip, which means that the feet are extended towards the ceiling as you pull yourself forwards into uttanasana. I could go on, and involve all sorts of other muscles that are involved in these train lines, but I'm probably the only one that's interested so I'll stop there. Take care Nick | ||
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| iandicker |
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| Phil |
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| Hi Ian Thought that was interesting what you said about John. I've practiced with him a bit and seen a very impressive demo he did. And he's capable of doing anything he wants with his practice. But your right he does drop back and launch forward. when he doesnt need to and in some movements he doesnt do it at all. What I think Nick (on me over the years) is working on is something integral to maximising health of the whole structure of body. Not a show of what someone can do. This is more core to how energy is assimilated in the body. It can takes me years to get my body round these ideas but as you work with them it really helps bring all the elements of yoga together. What I'm saying is what Nick is working on is NOT! the normal yoga bla! bla! Try applying these ideas and see how it works for you Edited by Phil 2007-10-08 11:10 AM | |||
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| Nick |
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Location: London, England | Hi, You both have it in a nutshell Dammit! Just when I had a dumper truck of peanuts to deliver Nick | ||
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| iandicker |
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| Nick |
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Location: London, England | Hi Ian, Hope it all helps, take care Nick | ||
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